Temptation
by Li47
Summary: Charlie and Brax. Just how long can Charlie resist the River Boy temptation?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys, **

**This is just another Chax story I have going at the minute. Hope you guys enjoy, reviews are always welcome... **

**Summary: Set just after Charlie and Brax break up and he starts to date Hayley. Bianca and Liam aren't together and Bianca has had her one night stand with Heath...the rest is pretty AU :)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

The reflection stared back at her in the mirror and sighed. It was difficult to recognise the person standing in front of her. The strong, confident woman was long gone. Against her better judgement she had let her barrier down and let the world in. Now, in her place stood a heartbroken girl.

The vibration of her phone against the dressing table disturbed her from her trance. Shaking the thoughts from her head, she opened up the new text message.

_**Bianca**_

_**Leaving now. See you in 5 x **_

Sighing, she tossed her phone on the bed and reached for her glass of wine. The night out had been her idea; a way for both of the women to have a few drinks and forget their current unfortunate look with the opposite sex. Bianca had jumped at the chance, although now it came down to it, Charlie was less than enthused. Earlier that morning she had ran into a certain someone which had put her head back into a spin. The temptation to stay in and wallow was strong to say the least but as everyone kept telling her; it were time she moved on and got on with her life. Darryl Braxton was to become a fragment of her past; nothing more.

Forcing a smile onto her face, Charlie applied some lip gloss and took a final look at herself in the mirror. Tousling out her long, dark hair, she let it fall around her shoulders before grabbing her purse and heading out the room.

Bianca arrived shortly after. Dressed in a black mini dress which clung to her body in the right places, she definitely looked the part. Charlie had decided on a red number for the evening, accompanied by a matching pair of red heels.

"Hey! Are you all set?" Bianca smiled at her friend, the excitement of the evening showing on her face.

"Hi. Yeah I'm ready. You look lovely." Charlie complimented as Bianca twirled in front of her.

"I thought I'd go all out. It's not often you get to have cocktails in the Yabbee Creek!" Charlie couldn't help but laugh at Bianca's sarcasm.

"Yeah, explain to me again, why you're going there?" Ruby chimed in, peering over the top of the couch.

The two women looked cautiously at each other.

"There's nothing wrong with a change of scenery!" Offered Bianca, although not very convincingly.

"Right, Rubes, I've left some money on the table for you if you want to order some food or something! I won't be back too late." Charlie kissed her daughter on the head and made her way towards the door.

"You guys have fun!"

"Oh don't worry, we will!" Bianca nudged Charlie playfully in the ribs, forcing a small smile onto Charlie's face. "Come on, let's see what hunks Yabbee Creek has to offer!" The two women laughed as they linked arms and headed out of the house.

Yabbee Creek was no party central, but the small bar O'Lunney's had tried. It was packed with a various crowd; couples mingled around groups of friends, while packs of single men hovered around the bar looking for potential pick ups. They had chosen a table near the back; a good location for them to watch the scene play out in front of them.

"Well this has definitely been an eye-opener!" Charlie observed as she finished of her glass of wine. She added it to the already empty glasses on the table.

Bianca laughed as she too finished her drink. "It's different I'll give it that. Have you seen...anyone you like?" She questioned, a small, encouraging smile coming onto her lips.

Charlie gazed around at the crowd in front of her. She hadn't even been looking at anyone in particular; she'd drifted out of her thoughts as the conversation had ebbed and flowed. "Er...no, not really."

"Charlie!" Despite how convincing Charlie thought she'd been, Bianca was far from sold. "We both agreed that we would have a nice night, and forget about _them..._ Don't let me down." Bianca pleaded. Although she would never admit it, she was probably a little distracted herself.

"I know we did, and I want to. Trust me I do." Bianca stared at her friend, her left eyebrow raising slightly. "Look, I ran into Brax this morning down at the Surf Club and now I can't get him out of my head."

"And what happened? Did you speak to him?"

"No, we both stood there in an awkward silence and then I turned around and ran." The awful scene replayed in Charlie's head. The look on his face as he stood in front of her. She could tell he wanted to say something; the words played around on his lips but never came out.

Bianca placed a comforting arm around her friend's shoulders. It had been a tough couple of months for Charlie. Her on/off relationship with Brax had begun to take it's toll. Bianca sympathised as best as she could; her own River Boy drama had almost started to unfold before she managed to put a stop to it.

"Look, I know it's hard Charlie, but you were the one who broke up with him. Remember? You couldn't trust him, or be with him the way you wanted to. And from what you've told me he's still seeing that Hayley chick now. So as difficult as it is darling, I think you just have to get him out of your head and move on." Charlie slowly nodded in agreement, although it all sounded a lot easier said than done. "I'll get us another round of drinks and we'll start having some fun, yeah?" Bianca tried her best to encourage her, and Charlie played along and smiled. She knew that Bianca was going through her own emotional termoil over Heath and Liam. Fun was something the two of them needed now more than ever.

Charlie watched as Bianca made her way over to the bar and then began talking to a tall, blonde man next to her. Nodding her head to the music, Charlie glanced around the room and tried to look around at the faces in the crowd. But all she could see was one. She took her phone out of her bag and unlocked the screen. _What are you doing!_ She scolded herself and put it back in her purse. It only lasted a matter of seconds before it was back in her hands and the text message screen opened up in front of her.

_**Are you awake?**_

She clicked send before she could think twice. Checking the time on her phone she mentally kicked herself. _It's twenty past nine. Of course he's awake. He's probably with her, you idiot! _She welcomed the fuzzy feeling in her head, knowing that for the time being she could blame the alcohol for her rash decision. She knew, however, that in the morning she wouldn't quite have that excuse. Minutes later, her phone vibrated against the table. Her heart beating in her chest, she opened the message.

_**Brax**_

_**Yeah. Are you ok? **_

_Am I ok? _The question played around in her head as Bianca rejoined her with some drinks. Following closely behind was the tall blonde man, and his shorter, dark haired friend. They took a seat at the table.

"Charlie, this is Brett and his friend Michael. I thought they could join us for a drink!" The two men said hello to Charlie and the conversation soon flared up. Charlie's mind, however, was still on that last text message.

Thankfully Bianca was too engrossed in getting to know the new company that she failed to notice Charlie texting on her phone. How was she supposed to reply to that? How was she supposed to tell him that she wasn't ok, and never would be if she wasn't with him. How was she supposed to tell him that the thought of him being with another woman killed her. How was she supposed to tell him that it was her fault for pushing him into the arms of somebody else. Her fingers moved over the mobile keypad as if her mind had momentarily lost control; her heart had finally taken over.

_**No. I really need to see you x **_

The reply came almost instantly.

_**Brax**_

_**Come over?x**_

* * *

><p><strong>Thoughts? :)<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you for all the fantastic reviews! **

**Enjoy... **

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

Brax threw himself down onto the couch, his eyes fixed on the ceiling. He didn't know what to make of it all; on the surface it seemed like a positive step forward. But what if he was taking it the wrong way? What if she were on her way here to tell him that it was over for good? That he would never be able to win her back; never be able to be the boyfriend that she needed and wanted. He was suddenly divided, the elation he'd felt at receiving her first message was now clouded with his doubt. He reread her last message, hoping to find any last minute clues.

**Charlie **

**I'm trying to get away. I'll be there soon x **

Deciding there was no secret subtext that he'd missed; he threw the phone down and started tidying around. He had no idea where she was, or who she was even with, but he couldn't wait for her to get there. Empty beer bottles and dirty plates were hidden in the kitchen while the rest of the rubbish was tossed in the trash can outside. The housework had been forgotten about over the past couple of days; the place was slowly turning into the bachelor pad now that the three Braxton brothers were living together. Heath was forever single; although he refused to comment on his recent run in with Bianca Scott. Casey was on-off with Ruby, however at the minute Brax got the impression that they were currently on. As for himself, Brax had been on a few dates with Casey's lawyer; but he thought of her as more of a distraction. In reality his heart lay with Charlie and always would.

He was just finishing tidying around the kitchen when he heard the front door open. Heath closed the door firmly behind him, tossing his keys on the table. He had only taken two steps into the living room when he was stopped by Brax.

"Woah...where do you think you're going?" He tried ushering Heath towards the door but he wasn't moving.

"What? I live here, remember?" He threw his brother a strange look as he tried to move past him, but Brax stopped him again.

"Go out."

"What?"

"It's a Friday night Heath, go to a bar or something..." Brax pleaded with him. He glanced at the clock behind his brother's head and realised that he didn't have much time to get rid of him. She would be here any minute.

"If you haven't forgotten, I don't have much money. You've stopped me doing any 'business,' remember?" It had been a few weeks since Brax had told Heath that their illigitimate involvements had to stop. Other than a few shifts at Angelo's, Heath had found it difficult to secure a steady income; but not as difficult as he'd found it to stay on the good side of the law.

Reluctantly Brax took his wallet out of his back pocket and placed $50 in his brother's hand. "I don't want to see you until tomorrow..."

Heath tossed the money around in his hands and smirked. "Fifty bucks bro?" He checked his watch. "That's only going to last until about 12...12:30 at a push..."

Glaring at him, Brax removed another couple of bills from his wallet and shoved them into his brother's hands. "Now, get out of here!" He warned.

"You only had to ask!" Heath shrugged as he made his way to the door. "Say hi to Hayley for me!" He winked.

"Out!"

Now that Heath had left and the place was looking fairly decent, Brax turned off the TV and turned on the stereo. Acoustic music and a soft man's voice filled the room. He turned the switch and dimmed the living room lights. Looking around, he smiled but then shook his head and turned the lights back up again. _Too much. She'll need to be able to see me if she's coming here to break up with me..._ He tried to make light of the situation in his head, but either way he couldn't shake the feeling that had settled in his stomach. Thankfully he didn't have time to dwell for long; a gentle knock on the front door disturbed his trail of thought.

He ruffled his hands through his hair as he reached the front door. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and couldn't help but smile.

"Hey." He spoke quietly, leaning against the frame of the door. He couldn't help but smile as he looked at her. She looked radiant in a deep red dress, which clung to her in all the right places.

"Hi." Her voice caught slightly in her throat. She had spent the taxi ride sorting out what she wanted to say to him; but now she was here her mind had gone blank. As their eyes met, a small electric burst sprung through Brax's body, alerting his senses. He was pretty sure she felt the same spark, as she blushed slightly and looked away.

"Come on in..." He moved aside slightly, making sure that the gap between them was minimal as she stepped into the house. She hesitated for a second as she brushed past him. Being in close proximity to him overwhelmed her and she moved further into the house. Feeling a pang of defeat, Brax closed the door and followed her.

They stood in awkward silence for a moment; Brax watched her intently as she looked around the room...looking at anything but him. He knew he should say something, what exactly he wasn't quite sure.

"Can I get you a drink?" He offered.

"Yeah, a drink would be good." She smiled at him as she took a seat on the couch, placing her purse on the table in front of her.

Brax walked out of the room and opened the fridge. He cursed silently to himself as he was greeted with the sight of bottle upon bottle of beer. _I should have bought some wine or something..._ He opened two bottles and closed the door.

He watched her from the kitchen. She had her back to him but he couldn't help but think she was beautiful. He longed to go over to her, to hold her in his arms and forget that they'd ever been apart. She turned her head slightly and caught him watching her, making his cheeks redden slightly. No other woman could do to him what Charlie could.

"I hope beer is alright..." He handed her the bottle and took a seat on the opposite side of the couch to her.

"Beer is fine. Thanks." She took a sip, her fingers playing tentively with the label on the bottle. She stared down at the bottle; words flowing around in her head. She didn't know where to start. Brax also tried thinking of something, anything to say, but thankfully she got there before him.

"I'm sorry for just dropping in on you like this." She turned to face him.

"You don't have to be. I'm really glad you did..."

"You are?" The suprise was evident in her voice. She was well aware of how she had been treating him lately, she was more than suprised that he would want to be in the same room as her.

"Of course I am Charlie." He placed his drink down and moved closer to her on the couch. She was suddenly aware of the pounding in her chest. "We both know us being like this isn't what I want." He reached out to touch her but she stood up and walked away from him. With her back to him she wiped her eyes before turning around to face him.

"And you think it's what I want?" Her voice raised slightly; she couldn't help but feel defensive. There was something about this man that affected every part of her. "You think I want you to be with someone else?" Even saying the words brought a foul taste to her mouth. She could just picture them together, sitting there on his couch, in his bed. The images made her feel sick to the stomach, especially as she knew she was the reason this other woman had the man she loved.

"This is not about her Charlie."

She moved to the back of the couch, leaning against it to look at him. "It is about her Brax. You are sleeping with someone else. You are sharing your bed with her, spending time with her." A jealous tone overtook her voice. He noticed her face soften slightly as she looked at him, he knew deep down that she hadn't come here to argue with him. He just needed to find a way to break through this exterior she had created.

"And who's fault is that Charlie?" He stood up and moved around the couch, closing the distance between them. She didn't move away, which he took as a positive sign. "You know that it's you who I want, that it's you who I'd pick over anyone else. I know our relationship hasn't had the smoothest of starts but everytime it gets a bit rocky, you push me away. It kills me Charlie."

He picked up her hands, turning her to face him as he held them tightly in his own. She looked down at their hands, their fingers linked tightly together. The warmth of his skin on hers instantly made her feel better, yet created a longing for more.

"Yeah I've been seeing Hayley but it's you who I want. No one else could even come close." He realised her hands, placing his on her waist. He started pulling her towards him, hoping that she wouldn't resist. "Just say the word."

Heath was the last person to leave Angelo's and was disappointed to be doing so alone. He checked his watch and sighed.

"Now what am I supposed to do!" He checked his pockets and was slightly relieved to still have some of Brax's money. The question now was what he was supposed to do to pass the time.

Heath began walking away from the bar. The sound of the ocean nearby brought a sense of calm to him. He had been walking for less than two minutes when he spotted a solitary figure leaning against the beach fence. The street light beside her illuminated her long blonde hair, which contrasted beautifully with the black mini dress she wore. He recognised her straight away. He immediately felt like the evening was about to get better as he headed over to her.

"So is this the place to be on a Friday night?" He asked as he joined her, standing with his back against the fence.

She kept her eyes fixed on the ocean but couldn't help but smile at the sound of his voice. "I just needed some fresh air and a walk."

Heath nodded, a small smirk forming on his lips. A minute or two passed before he spoke again "Well then...shall we?" He moved off the fence and offered his arm to her.

"Shall we what?" She asked. She couldn't help the flirty tone that crept into her voice. She had spent all night trying not to think of him and now here he was; right where she wanted him.

"Walk..." He matched her tone and flashed a smile at her. Smiling, she rolled her eyes and linked her arm through his as they headed down towards the beach.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 **

Charlie found herself relaxing as she let him pull her into a kiss. Their lips found each other almost instantly. Brax held her closely while her hands moved up to frame his face. Even after weeks of being apart, it only took Charlie a few seconds in his arms before she felt completely safe. The worries and troubles that were once on her mind were suddenly forgotten about as the kiss intensified.

Without breaking the kiss Brax started moving them towards the couch. His hands ran up and down her back as he made sure to keep her held close to him.

Charlie was the first to pull back as they fell onto the couch together.

"Brax..." Her eyes danced between his as she tried to catch her breath.

Ignoring her, he smiled and stroked the side of her face. "You really are beautiful." The smile didn't leave his face while he looked at her. "Stay with me tonight."

She sat up on the couch, forcing him to do the same. He kept his eyes fixed on her, while his hands searched for hers.

"I don't want to be apart from you tonight. Please Charlie." He was suddenly aware that he was begging her but he really didn't care. The thought of spending another night without her in his arms didn't bear thinking about. He couldn't get enough of her and now that they had come this close he wasn't afraid of her knowing that.

Charlie was overwhelmed by the vunerability in his eyes. If anyone had told her months ago that she would be seeing this side of Darryl Braxton, she would never have believed them. If they had also mentioned that she would also be head over heels in love with a River Boy she would have laughed in their face. But that was the current situation she found herself in and she couldn't help but not want to be anywhere else.

Brax's face dropped slightly as Charlie moved off the couch and stood up. His heart beat heavily in his chest as he tried to figure out what she would do next. The beating increased as she held out her hand to him, a warm yet seductive smile looking back at him. He placed his hand in hers and she squeezed it gently as she led him towards the bedroom.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, heading down the slope towards the deserted beach. Without realising it, Bianca had tightened her grip on his arm although Heath wasn't about to complain. They soon made it down to the beach and Bianca steadied herself on his arm as she removed her shoes. Heath held out his hand and offered to carry them.

"Oh...you turn into a gentleman after dark?" She teased, only half joking. Over the past couple of weeks her experiences of Heath were varied. She couldn't deny the attraction that she felt towards him, and he sure hadn't tried to hide his. However, after years of being around the 'right' kind of guy, the readjustment to the 'bad boy' way of life was taking a while to get used to. Bianca had tried to deny whatever this was between them, but lately, they always seemed to end up drawn together.

"Don't be getting used to it."

He winked at her, causing her to roll her eyes at him. There had been a lot of uproar surrounding Heath's presence in the Bay recently, although Bianca had started seeing a different side of him. A side which he worked hard to stop other people from seeing.

They talked and joked as they headed down towards the water, the waves quietly lapped up onto the beach. The full moon dominated the cloudless sky, casting a pale light across them and the rest of the beach. It was perfect.

"Do you fancy a swim?" Heath asked, edging them closer to the water. Bianca laughed and turned to see a huge grin on his face.

"Not a chance..."

"Oh, come on!" He wrapped his arms around her waist and tried to pick her up but she managed to free herself. Laughing, she ran a little in front of him before turning around and kicking her foot through the water, splashing him slightly.

He feigned anger as he moved towards her, stiffling a laugh at the sudden panic on her face. "Now _you_ are going for a swim!"

"No, Heath!" She screached as she backed away from him. "I'm sorry! Don't you dare." She ran away from him, screaming through bouts of laughter.

He chased her for a few minutes. She couldn't stop laughing as he eventually caught her, spinning her around to face him. "You said you wanted a swim!" She told him innocently, her laughter slowly subsiding.

"Was that meant to be an apology?"

She paused before leaning forward and kissing, taking them both by surprise. Blushing, she moved away from him and sat down on the beach, gesturing for him to do the same.

"So, have you been walking around all night on your own?"

"No. I went for drinks with Charlie but she wasn't feeling too good so she went home early. I just felt like a walk to clear my head a little." She ran her hands through the sand, enjoying the cold sensation on her skin. She hadn't noticed it up until that point, but she shivered slightly with the cool night time temperature. Heath noticed and immediately took off his jacket, wrapping it around her shoulders.

"Thank you." She snuggled into the coat, the smell of his aftershave filling her with a different sense of warmth. "What about you? No hot date this evening?" She teased.

"Luckily for you, no!" She let out a small laugh as he looked at her, holding her eye contact for a little longer than usual. Clearing her throat, she broke the stare, choosing instead to look towards the ocean. Sensing the moment had passed, Heath continued. "Brax kicked me out for the night; he has a chick coming around."

"Is it getting serious with Hayley?" Bianca tried to keep her tone casual, hoping that he wouldn't realise just how much she wanted to know. _At least I can keep Charlie informed, it might help her to move on from him._

Oblivious to her intentions, Heath answered her question. "I wouldn't say that. It's just sex to him. He's still in love with that copper..." Bianca threw him a glare and he quickly corrected himself. "Charlie."

Bianca nodded at the information which she already knew. The conversation soon came to a close and Bianca checked her watch and stood up.

"It's getting late, I should probably get back. I have classes all day tomorrow."

Heath quickly jumped to his feet and started walking down the beach. "Let's go then."

Confused, Bianca stopped him. "Go where?"

"Your place!" He shrugged, causing her to laugh.

"I don't think so. Goodnight Heath." She gave him one last look before walking away from him. He had to run to keep up with her.

"Woah, wait a minute. You can't just leave me here. I have nowhere to go."

"Go home."

"I can't, Brax will kill me." Heath rarely chose to listen to Brax, but he knew on this occassion that his brother couldn't be swayed.

"Then go and hook up with one of your 'girls.'" She regretted it the minute she said it, and he could tell by the expression on her face.

"Bianca..."

She stared at him while he pleaded silently with his eyes.

Charlie rested her head lightly on Brax's chest, her hands drawing patterns on his skin. He held her closely to him, enjoying the feeling of her naked body next to his. They had been laying in a content silence for the best part of an hour, the creased bedsheet wrapped loosely around them both. Discarded clothes lay scattered around the room.

"I didn't think we'd ever be like this again." Charlie spoke first, her voice quiet but still audible. He felt her hold on him tighten ever so slightly.

Brax smiled as he kissed the top of her head. "I'm so glad we are. For a while, I really thought I'd lost you."

Charlie couldn't bring herself to think about how true his last statement was. The feeling of his hand stroking her back broke her trail of thought. There was something about being in this man's arms which made her forget the outside world completely; a feeling which she didn't really want to end.

She rolled over to face him. "I love you." It has been tossed around in an argument once, and despite knowing it now for several months this was the first time Charlie had actually revealed her true feelings. The smile on Brax's face confirmed that she'd made the right choice in telling him. Although he knew how she felt about him, there was something about hearing the words leave her mouth that made it true. Made it real.

"I love you." They embraced before moving back to their original position, a smile now on both of their faces. Brax started running his hands through her hair, savouring the feeling of being so close to the woman he loved, and knowing that she loved him too.

"So I've been thinking..." Brax started and Charlie nodded to show she was listening. "Now that everything is out in the open and people know about us, there isn't really any reason why we can't be like any other normal couple." It had been something he had been thinking about for a while, only he never really thought he would get the chance to actually be saying this to her.

"Yeah, I agree."

"Ok. Well I want us to start over. I want to take you on a date...a real date, you know, where people actually _see_ us together."

Charlie smiled into his chest, her stomach doing somersaults. _This evening is just getting better and better. _

"A date, huh?"

He kissed her head again, only this time lingered there a little longer. "Yes. I want to start showing you exactly what you mean to me."

She smiled again before rolling over. "That sounds perfect." She whispered as she lowered herself down to kiss him.

Bianca quietly put the key in the lock and opened the door. Heath silently followed her inside the dark house. Switching on the small lamp beside the couch, she moved around the room, removing blankets and pillows from various cupboards. Heath got the feeling that she'd done this before as the whole routine was done without making a sound.

Once the couch had been set up, she turned to look at him. "You need to be gone before Irene or April wake up!" She warned and he nodded.

"I know, I promised didn't I! You know, there would be less chance of them catching me if I were upstairs with you..." He hinted, a sly grin on his face.

"Goodnight Heath."

He reluctantly watched her walk up the stairs before turning off the light and settling down on the couch, his mind filled with thoughts of her.

"Black coffee please, Leah." Liam handed a handful of change over the counter. Leah smiled at him as she prepared his drink.

"How's everything..."

"It's a disgrace!" Colleen interrupted Leah as she stormed into the diner. Her pale face was accompanied by a head full of disheveled hair. "I don't know what this world is coming to!" She threw her handbag on the counter and looked at the two people in front of them.

"What's happened?" Leah asked as she put Liam's coffee down on the counter, concern played around in her voice.

"It's disgusting Leah, and I mean...right on our doorstep!" Colleen became even more hysterical as she paced back and forth behind the counter. Her arms flapped in front of her as if independent from her body. Leah rolled her eyes at Liam who was trying hard not to laugh.

"Colleen...calm down and tell us what you're going on about!" The concern in her voice was now replaced by annoyance.

Colleen glared at her boss and stood still. She took a deep breath before starting again. "I don't know what Irene is thinking of. Letting the likes of him spend the night!"

"Who?" Leah's patience was wearing thin. Liam finished stirring sugar into his coffee and mouthed 'bye' to Leah. He laughed quietly to himself as he headed towards the door.

"That Braxton one." Liam stopped in the doorway. "I've just witnessed it with my own eyes! Walking out of Irene's house at this time in the morning...it's clear he spent the night."

Liam spun around, the laughter now long gone from his face. "Braxton?"

"Yeah, Heath! Those River Boys will be taking over the Bay soon, you mark my words. First Charlie, now Bianca."

Leah noticed the angry expression on Liam's face. "Liam..." She spoke softly but it were too late; he had already stormed out of the diner.

"Well I hope you're happy now..." Leah scolded. Colleen looked back at her sheepishly and shrugged.

Bianca opened one eye as she banged her hand along the bedside table. The ringing of the alarm clock didn't mix too well with the heavy head she'd woken up with. Heath. Remembering that he'd spent the night on her couch, she jumped up out of the bed. Panicking that he wouldn't have left in time, she reached the door but stopped when she heard Irene and April laughing in the kitchen. _They don't sound like they have company? _Feeling slightly relieved that he had kept his promise to her, Bianca was about to open the door when a piece of paper caught her attention. Bending down, she picked up the folded note and couldn't help but smile.

**Last night was great. H **

The smile played on her lips as she read the sentence 3 more times before placing it carefully in the dresser drawer.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks again for taking the time to read/review! Makes my day! **

**Enjoy :) **

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4 <strong>

Bianca couldn't help but grin while she got ready for work that morning. Her mind replayed the events of last night as she fixed her make up in the mirror. She had spent so much time trying to deny the attraction she felt towards Heath that she'd actually forgotten how much she enjoyed his company. It was undeniable that they had some sort of connection to each other; the question was just how far she was going to let that connection go. It was clear Heath wanted something more than friendship from her, but could she handle just being another notch on his bed post?

With her head still full of Heath, she grabbed her things and made her way down the stairs. Irene was making breakfast while April sat at the table with a book open in front of her.

"Morning girlie!" She received the warm greeting as Irene poured her a cup of coffee.

"Morning." Bianca's smile beamed back at them.

"Did you have a good night with Charlie? I didn't hear you come in."

"Yeah, it was interesting to say the least!" Bianca tried to hide her smile but Irene sensed that something was going on.

"Ok, spill the beans Missy. You've certainly woken up in a lovely mood..."

April spun around in her chair to stare at her sister. "Yes, there's something different about you." She added.

Bianca blushed as she gathered the rest of her stuff and headed towards the door. "I'm late." She took a swig of the coffee and began to head towards the door. She knew she could dodge their questions for the time being but the issue wouldn't be dropped until Irene got to the bottom of it. But for now she needed time to sort out what the issue even was, and what she herself was going to do about it. "See you guys later..." She smiled at them before rushing out the door.

Despite the fact that they hadn't gone to sleep until the early hours of the morning, Brax woke from what had been his best night's sleep in a long time. Charlie remained in his arms, her head resting lightly on his chest. He'd forgotten what it was like to wake up next to her; to know that out of everyone in the world he had the privaledge of being there when she wakes up. He kissed her lovingly on the top of her head, drawing his arms tighter around her.

His phone vibrated against the bedside table. Without disturbing her, he reached for the phone and sighed. He deleted three new text messages without opening them and tossed the phone beside him on the bed.

Brax smiled to himself as he added the finishing touches to the breakfast. He'd never be the first to admit it, but he was starting to enjoy the domesticity of a relationship. It felt natural to be making breakfast for the woman he loved, just as it felt natural for it to be Charlie who he loved.

His phone vibrated in his pocket. Annoyed, he deleted the message and put his phone down on the counter. He turned from the stove and started to walk towards the fridge when he noticed her stood in the doorway, dressed simply in one of his shirts. She looked around sheepishly, checking they were alone.

"It's ok." Brax reassured her as his eyes ran up and down her body. "There's nobody else home."

She smiled at that and moved towards him. "Good morning." She wrapped her arms around his neck while his instinctively found their place around her waist.

"It certainly is." He flirted as he leant down and passionately kissed her. She responded and moved closer into his embrace. After a couple of minutes they broke apart, both slightly breathless.

"Something smells good..." Charlie moved out of his arms as she reached for the plate of food he'd made her. She picked at a piece of bacon as he grabbed hold of her again, holding her back against his chest. Planting kisses down her neck, she tried to stiffle a laugh as she ate.

"Do you not want me to eat the breakfast you've so lovingly made?" She teased, continuing to eat. She could see the effect she was having on this man and she loved every minute of it.

"Well the way I see it is...we have the house to ourselves so...we should..." His hands ran down her body before finding their way under the shirt. He continued kissing along her neck, spinning her around in his arms as he worked his way up slowly to her face before stopping at her lips.

"Brax!"

"What?" He threw her an innocent look, although a small smirk was starting to appear on his lips. He moved in to kiss her again but she dodged his kiss and smiled at him.

"I have to get ready for work."

"Work? Not today..." He slowly began unbuttoning the shirt, his heart beating faster as the shirt fell open.

"I have to." She protested although she did prefer his idea over the reality. She felt herself being swayed by him, the sensation of his lips against her skin was too hard to ignore.

"Call in sick. Tell them that you need to spend the day in bed with your incredibly hot boyfriend." He winked at her as he tried to lead her towards the bedroom.

"You have ten minutes!" She returned his wink as she quickly pushed him into the bedroom and slammed the door shut after them.

His phone silently flashed with an incoming call on the counter.

Bianca chose to walk along the beach on her way to work. She noted how different the beach was in the daylight. She had to admit that she preferred it in the moonlight, although she was pretty sure that had more to do with the company and not the scenery. She cursed herself for thinking about him again. _There is no way I can teach 3 hours of HSE Spanish with a River Boy on my mind..._

Casting her eyes over the water, she tried to clear her head and failed to notice Liam storming over in her direction.

"Bianca!" The anger was evident in his voice. Snapping out of her daydream, Bianca spotted him just as he reached her.

"Liam, what's the..."

"Heath!" He yelled at her, his hands waving around in front of him. She stared back at him in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" She ran her hands threw her hair as she glanced around at the other people on the beach. A couple were watching in their direction.

"You couldn't lower yourself any further? You had to settle for Heath Braxton?" He looked back at her with an expression that was half anger, half disgust. He didn't care that his words would hurt her; he just wanted her to feel an ounce of the pain that he was feeling.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She tried to move past him but he followed her, clearly not finished with his rant.

"Don't give me that bull! I know all about your night together. The whole bay may as well know!" He pulled on her arm, turning her to face him.

She moved her arm from his grasp and glared at him. "Don't you dare touch me!" She shouted back at him, suddenly not caring who heard them. "And for the record, it's none of your business. What I do and who I happen to do it with stopped being anything to do with you the minute we broke up."

"Is there a problem here?"

They had been too busy arguing that they hadn't noticed that they had company. Bianca glanced over Liam's shoulder to find Heath standing there, a mixture of concern and anger on his face.

Liam didn't bother turning around, he kept his eyes fixed on Bianca. "This doesn't concern you." He warned.

"Well it seems to me like you're upsetting Bianca, so it does concern me."

"Heath..." Bianca started but it was too late.

Liam spun around and took a swing at Heath which luckily Heath had managed to dodge. Bianca screamed at them both as she moved into the middle of them. The two men stared at each other. Eventually Liam turned and marched away, leaving the two of them to process what had just happened.

Heath noticed Bianca crying and reached out his arm to comfort her.

"Don't Heath." She snapped at him. "Just leave me alone." She tried not to focus on the hurt look on his face as she turned around and walked away from him.

It had only been an hour since Charlie had managed to leave for work and Brax couldn't get her out of his head. He had been sat on the couch staring into space, wishing for the time to go by so that he could see her again. He knew he had their date to start planning but at the minute he was too engrossed in his thoughts. Charlie. Charlie dressed in his shirt. Charlie in his bed. Charlie in...

His phone vibrated on the couch beside him disturbing his trail of thought. Trying to focus on anything other than Charlie, he reached for his phone and groaned. He had just finished deleting it when there was an impatient knock on the door. He welcomed the distraction as he went to answer it.

He inwardly groaned at the person in front of him.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were avoiding me."

"What are you doing here, Hayley?" He asked her blankly.

"Well when you didn't relpy to any of my messages I thought I best come down and sort you out. Come on, I have an hour before I'm due in court." She winked at him as she tried to walk into the house but Brax blocked her.

"You can't come inside." He closed the door over slightly, wedging himself in the open doorway. She stared back at him, confusion all over her face.

"Why not? What's going on Darryl?" She took a step towards him, her hands reaching up to touch his face. He pushed away her hands.

"Nothing is going on. You just shouldn't be coming round here. You need to stop texting me and calling me. It's done."

"Is this about her?" She crossed her arms over her chest as she suddenly became defensive. He refused to say anything which confirmed her suspicions. "So you think you can just use me for sex and then dump me because she says so? That's not how it works Darryl and you know it." S

"We both knew from the start that it was just sex. Now go, and a friendly warning...If I were you, I'd think twice before you try and threaten me!" He warned her before slamming the door.

"You'll be the one who'll be thinking twice..." She whispered as she stormed away from his house.

Charlie rushed through the crowded diner and made her way over to the table. "Sorry I couldn't get away any faster. Is everything ok?"

She gave Bianca a quick hug before sitting down beside her. Bianca filled in her on that morning's events in between gulps of coffee. Charlie listened intently, offering advice when she could.

"I just don't know what to do."

"Well it's not like there's any truth to what Liam was saying. Come on, he's listened to Colleen...it's a load of fiction!" Bianca slowly looked up from the table and met Charlie's gaze. The guilty look on Bianca's face took Charlie by suprise.

"What? It's true?" Her mouth dropped. "You and Heath?" She whispered, amazed at what she was hearing.

"Nothing like that happened." She shoved Charlie and the pair of them laughed.

"Tell me everything!" Charlie stole Bianca's coffee and settled into her chair for the story.

Bianca rolled her eyes and began. "Well, after you bailed on me last night," she mocked, "I took a little walk along the beach and ran into Heath. Brax had thrown him out for the night because that Hayley was coming over..."

Charlie hid her smile behind the coffee cup, which thankfully went unnoticed by Bianca.

"...so we just hung out on the beach. I said he could sleep on the couch because he had no where else to go. I passed his house on my way to work and saw Hayley leaving, so I don't know where Heath went when he left Irene's." Bianca hadn't realised what she had said to get a reaction out of Charlie, but suddenly her friend seemed a lot more interested.

Her expression changed as she put down the coffee cup. "What did you just say?"

"What?"

"You saw Hayley?" Charlie felt sick.

"Yeah, her and Brax were on the doorstep together." She frowned at Charlie, not understanding where this was leading.

Charlie stood up, avoiding Bianca's questioning looks. "I have to go." She turned and quickly fled the diner.

* * *

><p><strong>Reviews are always welcomed... :)<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Hope you enjoy... :) **

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

Charlie had rushed over to his house in such a fury that she hadn't prepared what she was going to say when she got there. Hearing that Hayley had been there with him had brought back feelings which she didn't like. Being the jealous woman wasn't a role which Charlie enjoyed playing, but when it came to Brax she couldn't help it.

The knock on the door was a little louder than usual. She only had to wait a matter of seconds before the door was opened, revealing Brax dressed simply in surfer shorts and a vest top. She had to force herself to focus on the reason she was here and not her immediate attraction to him. He momentarily looked surprised to see her, but that was soon replaced with a grin.

"Hey you." He noticed her uniform straight away."Is this a social visit?" He raised his eyebrows at her, although she failed to even smile at her.

"Was she here?" The policewoman in her took over and got straight to the point.

"What?" She didn't answer him. They stood silently in the doorway staring at each other while Brax tried to figure it out. Eventually it occured to him. "Hayley?" He didn't think it was possible but her stare appeared to grow colder. It was a side of Charlie that he wasn't familiar with and he sure didn't like. "She came by earlier this morning, yeah." He nodded as he leaned casually against the doorframe.

Charlie was taken aback by how nonchalant he was being. "That's it? That's all you have to say to me?"

Not wanting to cause a scene Brax gently reached for her arm, pulling her inside. He closed the door behind them and turned her to face him.

"She turned up, uninvited I might add, because I haven't been returning any of her calls or texts."

"She's being trying to contact you?"

"I haven't exactly had the time to break it off with her. We only got back together last night..."

Slowly the realisation that she may have overreacted hit her and she began to feel embarrassed. Brax sensed her change in mood and took the opportunity to move closer towards her. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his arms. She gave him a sheepish smile.

"I'm sorry...I just..." He interrupted her apology with a kiss.

"You have nothing to apologise for. It's me and you. No one else."

"I best get back to work."

"Ok." As Brax pulled her in for a goodbye kiss, he teased her gently with his tongue, forcing his way into her mouth. Before she could reciprocate the kiss he edged back, a sly smile on his face. "You have a nice afternoon in work." He smirked at the flushed look on Charlie's face as she glared at him.

"You'll pay for that Braxton!" She wanted to stay with him and see where that kiss could have led but she knew she had to return to work.

"No doubt." His eyes shone as he looked at her. "I'll see you tonight, 7.30." He gave her a final kiss on the lips before watching her walk away.

After her afternoon encounter with Brax, time felt like it was going to stand still. She checked her watch every five minutes, knowing deep down that that wouldn't make 5pm come any faster but she couldn't help herself. After what felt like an eternity, she managed to leave the station and rush home to get ready.

Ruby was coming out of the living room when Charlie nearly ran into her. They both jumped.

"Where are you rushing off to?" Ruby immediately noted that something was going on.

"I have to get ready. I don't even know what I'm going to wear!" It took the confused look on her daughter's face for Charlie to realise that in the whirlwind of the past twenty four hours she hadn't filled Ruby in on the news.

"Wear for what?"

"Er...I have an um...date tonight." Charlie blushed. Although they were more like friends than mother and daughter, Charlie was still embarrassed at revealing certain things to Ruby. Her dating habits being one of them.

"You do?" Ruby's eyes grew wide. "I didn't know you were seeing anyone. Who is the mystery man?"

"It's Brax..." A new strain of nerves settled in Charlie's stomach as she waited for her daughter's reaction. "We are going on our first official date. In public." Ruby paused for a minute as she took in the news. She had been there for Charlie through the majority of the ups and downs in her relationship with Brax. She knew exactly how much Charlie hurt when they were broken up, and she had been informed numerous times by Casey that Brax was feeling the same.

She threw her arms around her mother's neck and hugged her tightly. Charlie was taken by surprise at the reaction but quickly returned the gesture. Ruby was the first to pull back, her face full of excitement.

"I'll pick something out for you while you shower!"

Charlie laughed as she was ushered towards the bedroom. For once, everything was exactly how she wanted it and she knew she didn't want it to end.

After taking the quickest shower known to man, Charlie returned to her bedroom to find a bright blue dress laid out for her on the bed. Ruby ran back into the room with a pair of earrings in one hand and a clutch bag in the other.

"Here take these. They will go perfectly with that dress!" She beamed at Charlie as she placed the goods in her hand.

"Rubes..." Ruby stopped in the doorway and spun around. "Thank you."

"I'm happy for you. This is really good!" They wore matching smiles as Ruby closed the door leaving her mother to get ready for the evening ahead.

Picking up her phone, Charlie checked the time and gasped. _I have an hour!_ She was about to panic when she noticed a small text message icon at the top of the screen. The panic soon disappeared as she opened the message.

**Brax**

**You've been on my mind all afternoon... x **

She bit her bottom lip as she reread the message. She replied quickly.

**You can fill me in on your thoughts over dinner...x **

She couldn't wipe the smile from her face as she started the task of beautifying herself for their long awaited date.

An hour and ten minutes later, Ruby knocked on the bedroom door before entering.

"He's here..." She paused when she saw Charlie. "You look beautiful!" Charlie blushed slightly but smiled.

"Do you think he'll like it?" She looked down at her dress, surprised by just how nervous she was.

"Why don't you go and ask him..." Ruby gestured out to the living room. Charlie kissed her on the cheek as she passed, while Ruby decided to stay in the bedroom to give them some privacy.

Charlie walked out to find Brax standing in the living room. Gone were the surfer shorts and top from this afternoon, replaced instead by a black suit and tie. His eyes were fixed on an object in his hands; a single white rose. Charlie smiled.

He looked up as she walked into the room and gasped. "Wow!" His eyes roamed over her body, taking in as much detail as possible for a mental image. "You look..." For the first time in a long time, Darryl Braxton was lost for words. "You look...wow!" His eyes finally met hers.

_I can't believe she is mine..._

"You like it?" The strapless dress fell just above her knees, revealing a pair of tanned, slender legs. She had curled her hair slightly, which she had left to fall tenderly down her back.

His smile said it all. He walked up to her, planting a passionate kiss on her lips. "I think I might be the luckiest guy alive."

"You're looking pretty good yourself."

They paused, gazing at each other. It didn't feel real; it were as though everything they had been through over the past couple of months came down to this moment right now.

"Oh...before I forget." He pulled the rose into view and handed it to her. "This is for you."

Her smile grew as she brought the rose to her face and smelled it. Beautiful.

"Thank you."

They looked nervously at each other before they both cracked up and started laughing.

"Come on, this is silly. We have nothing to be nervous about, right?" She looked at him for reassurance, silently hoping that he too was feeling as nervous as she was.

He gave her half a smile as he held out his hand to her. "Shall we?"

Her nerves eased off slightly as she took his hand, linking their fingers tightly together.

Irene sung to herself as she moved around the kitchen making dinner. Bianca stared blankly at the TV. Her eyes followed the images on the screen but her mind was elsewhere. The more she replayed the events from the day, the worse she felt.

April set two places at the table, before looking up at her sister. "Are you sure you won't have anything?" Irene popped her head around the corner to hear the answer.

Bianca paused for a moment before standing up and grabbing a sweater. "No, I actually have to go and do something. I won't be late."

It was a little after nine as Heath settled onto the couch with a beer in one hand and the remote in the other. He'd earlier turned down a drinking session over at Mangrove River, chosing instead to drink alone. A sports channel played in the background although he was far too engrossed in his thoughts to pay much attention to the scores.

There was a gentle knock on the front door. Finishing off the remainder of his beer, he placed the empty bottle on the table before making his way over to the door.

"Hey." She offered him a nervous half smile, one which he didn't return. For the first time in a long time there was no obvious reaction at seeing her. "Can I come in?" She gestured towards the living room, her eyes searching his face for any sign of being happy to see her. He gave nothing away.

"Whatever." It had been a while since Bianca had come across the side of Heath Braxton that the rest of the bay were more accustomed to. It wasn't a side she liked, although she knew that chances were she had pushed him to this point. Heath walked into the kitchen, leaving the door open and Bianca still in the doorway. He took another beer out the fridge, paused, and then took a second out. Despite being annoyed, he didn't want to be rude.

"Ok, I guess I deserved that one..." Bianca sighed as she followed him into the house and closed the door.

He joined her back in the living room, handing her the beer without really looking at her. He took his seat back on the couch, his feet falling onto the table in front of him. He stared at the TV, feigning interest even though he was dying to know why she had come round. She sat on the edge of the couch.

Bianca sipped nervously at the beer as she glanced around the room, her eyes finally landing on Heath.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you this morning. It was Liam I was angry at, I shouldn't have taken it out on you." She tilted her head towards his, trying to force him to make eye contact with her.

Glancing in her direction, he took in the beauty of her for the first time since she'd arrived. Her tight denim jeans were paired with a white vest top, and a loose fitting cardigan. Her blonde hair fell in waves around her face. He wasn't sure how long he could stay mad at her for, especially when she looked the way she did.

She noticed his expression warm slightly and smiled. "So does this mean we can be friends again?"

Friends. The word came out of her mouth all too easily, if only the action were as easy.

"Fine. I couldn't have you pining for me or anything..." Heath teased, immediately lightening the mood in the room. Bianca laughed and slapped his arm as she settled herself back onto the couch, their arms pressed against each other.

She tried hard to focus on the TV. A group of men were chasing a disc around a rink...Heath. Her thoughts kept going back to the man sat beside her. Unaware that he too was having the same time concentrating on the images in front of her, she took a long gulp of her beer. She could sense his nervousness beside her, as he too drank his drink in silence.

A couple of minutes passed without either of them saying anything, although their body language spoke volumes. Bianca had shifted slightly on the couch, her legs crossed so that her foot lightly grazed Heath's leg every so often. Heath had noticed this and despite not knowing if it were purely an accident or if she had done it on purpose, it sent shock waves through his system each time she touched him.

"So..." Bianca eventually spoke, not really knowing what to say.

_Surely giving in to temptation can't be such bad a thing, could it? _


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews and for reading! You guys rock! :D **

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6 <strong>

"So..." They had walked in a nervous silence to the car, the pair of them searching for something appropriate to say but coming up with nothing. Charlie held the rose in one hand and Brax's hand in the other. Occassionally he would give her hand a comforting squeeze, bringing a smile to Charlie's face. "...are you going to tell me where we are going?"

Brax unlocked the passenger door and held it open for her. She thanked him as she paused in the doorway, waiting for a response.

He lightly placed a kiss on her hand as he released it and gestured into the car. "You'll find out when we get there..." He teased as she rolled her eyes at him and got into the car. He waited until she was settled inside before closing the door after her and making his way round the car to the driver's side.

Despite it only being five minutes since Brax had arrived, Charlie loved the normality that the evening had brought. After all the drama over the past couple of months, here they were; a regular couple out on a date. It was a feeling Charlie relished, and by the constant smile on Brax's face she was sure he was feeling the same way.

Brax started the engine and pulled out of the driveway. The car was filled with small talk as they drove along the costal road through the Bay. They soon passed the 'Summer Bay' sign on the edge of the town, causing Charlie to turn to Brax.

"We're going out of Summer Bay?" She found herself now even more intrigued by the coming events.

Brax chuckled as he glanced at her. "I thought that with tonight being special and all...that we should branch out. And besides, I doubt a meal at the Diner under Colleen's watchful eye wouldn't have exactly been all too romantic." They both laughed at the mental image of Colleen Smart watching over their date, a look of disapproval clear on her face.

Charlie placed her hand on the back of Brax's head, playing with the hairs on his neck as he drove. He leant into her touch, finding it hard to keep his concentration solely on the road.

Their nerves began to subside as the conversation started to flow more freely. The majority of it flirty, occassionally inquisitive. After driving for just under an hour, Brax finally pulled into a car park of a restaurant. The waterside restaurant stood alone on the lot, but the car park was full which gave a good first impression.

Brax switched off the engine and turned in his seat to look at her. "Well...here we are!" He grinned at her like an excited child. She couldn't help but find his excitment endearing.

"The Lighthouse?" Charlie had never heard of the restaurant but she had to admit it looked lovely from the outside. Tiny spotlights along the top of the building lit up the darkened bricks and dimly lit windows. There was an immediate romantic feel to the place and they hadn't even left the car yet.

"You'll love it, I promise." He leant over and kissed her before getting out of the car and walking around to her door. It had been a long time since Charlie had been treated like this and she was loving every minute of it.

Brax offered her his arm as she stepped out of the car. She immediately took it and pulled him closer to her as they walked into the building.

Inside, the atmosphere was definitely magical. The smell of the food made Charlie's stomach rumble, but Brax didn't let on that he'd heard. Couples inside the restaurant were sat around candle lit tables, while soft music played in the background.

They were greeted by an elegantly dressed woman, who appeared to be in her late fifties. She smiled brightly at the sight of Brax and pulled him into a hug.

"I was beginning to think you weren't going to show!" She pinched one of his cheeks as he laughed.

"I'm sorry Emily, the drive took a little longer than I thought."

Charlie watched the exchange between the two people, wondering how they knew each other. She didn't have much time to dwell on it though, as Emily soon turned her attention to Charlie.

"This must be the wonderful Charlie!" Both Brax and Emily turned to look at her, causing Charlie's face to redden slightly in embarrasment.

"Yes, this is my girlfriend Charlie." Brax let go of her hand and placed his arm around her. He loved how easily the word 'girlfriend' slipped off his tongue.

"It's lovely to finally meet you, Charlie. Darryl has told me a lot about you."

Charlie smiled. "All good, I hope."

Brax kissed the top of her head. "Of course."

"Come on, I'll show you to your table." Emily beamed as she picked up two menus and made her way through the crowded restaurant. Brax placed his hand on the small of Charlie's back as he guided her after their host.

Emily held open the door for them and led them onto the patio which overlooked the water. Charlie's breath caught in her throat as she saw the scene in front of her. The tables were fewer outside, providing a more intimate touch. Rows of fairy lights hung across the patio providing the majority of the light, with tea lights adorning the tables to give it that final romantic setting. The music from inside couldn't be heard out here; instead the lapping of the waves on the shore nearby was the only sound they needed.

"It's beautiful!" Charlie whispered as Emily stopped at their table.

Brax smiled at her reaction. He had been a bit nervous that maybe it wouldn't be good enough for their date, but one look at Charlie's face told him that he had made the perfect choice.

Holding out her chair, he waited before she had sat before taking a seat opposite her. Emily handed them both a menu and asked if she could get them any drinks.

"A bottle of your best red..." He answered, his eyes already fixed on Charlie.

Emily nodded and quickly left.

"Brax...this is just perfect." She held out her hand across the table and he quickly took it in his, holding it tightly.

"You don't know how long I have wanted to do this for."

"Trust me, I know."

Emily soon returned with a bottle of wine and poured them both a glass. She smiled brightly at Charlie before leaving them to look at the menu.

They both glanced down at the menus infront of them, but Brax couldn't help but sneaking glances across the table at Charlie. For a couple of minutes Charlie acted like she hadn't noticed him watching her, but eventually she couldn't hold her smirk in and looked up to meet his gaze. He blushed and looked back down at the menu.

"You do like seafood, don't you?" Brax suddenly realised that he hadn't checked prior to the date.

"I do."

Emily eventually returned and took their orders. Charlie had chosen a crab linguine, while Brax opted for the lobster.

"How do you two know each other?" Charlie asked once the older woman was out of earshot.

"Emily...I guess you could say she is an old family friend. She was there for us a lot when we were growing up. She was a mother figure to us whenever we found ourselves without one, which was frequent. We all owe so much to her." There was a change in Brax as he spoke, his voice was laced with respect and love. It was a side to him that Charlie was starting to see more often.

"She seems like a lovely woman." Charlie loved that he was able to share something like this with her. Bringing her to this place, introducing her to someone who meant so much to him, someone who clearly knew a little about Charlie. It all pointed to the fact that Brax was actually serious about them as a couple know, not that Charlie needed much confirmation. It was written all over his face.

They sat in silence for a while, both with their own thoughts. Charlie looked out at the marvellous view. A couple of metres out from the waters edge stood a tall white and red lighthouse. It's light flashed across the water. It all added to the magic of this place.

"So..." Heath repeated her, his gaze now fixed on her face. He noticed a slight sparkle in her eye as she made eye contact with him.

Without stopping to think about it, he reached forward and grabbed her face, bringing their lips crashing together. Bianca was caught off guard by the kiss but found herself responding to his actions, returning as much passion as she was getting.

The sound of keys in the doorway caught their attention and they both managed to jump off the couch just as Casey entered the living room. They stood a couple of feet apart, both slightly breathless and flustered. Bianca quickly wiped her lips as she glanced at Heath, who was looking a mixture of pissed off although slightly amused.

"Hey!" Casey didn't seem to notice the awkwardness between them as he walked straight past them and into the kitchen.

"Case, I thought you were staying at Ruby's tonight?" His eyes didn't leave Bianca's face.

"I was, but she was getting a migraine so I thought it was best to leave before things got any worse." He called from the kitchen.

"I should go..." Bianca mouthed as she started to grab her things. Heath shook his head at her, his face overcome with disappointment.

Casey walked back into the kitchen, a piece of cold pizza in his hands. "So, what are you guys up to?" He asked, not knowing what he had almost walked in on.

Bianca and Heath looked at each other, a wordless conversation flowing between their eyes.

Eventually, Bianca spoke. "I was actually just lea..."

Heath cut her off. "We were actually just going for a drive." He nodded at her, willing for her to play along. She hesitated momentarily but then smiled.

"Don't wait up!" Heath told his younger brother as he picked up his keys and lead Bianca out of the house.

* * *

><p><strong>Feeling a little generous so I'll post the next chapter now... :) <strong>

**Reviews are always welcome... ;) **


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 **

Bianca stared out of the window while she settled into the seat. Heath rested one arm on the back of her seat while he drove, his hands occassionally brushing up against her arm.

"I'm starting to feel like I'm back in high school. Driving around in some boy's car just to hook up." She threw her head back against the head rest and watched him out of the corner of her eye.

A smirk filled his face as he kept his eyes on the road. "Oh, so this is just a regular occurance for you? Here's me thinking I was special..." He feigned hurt but his only sympathy came in the form of a slap on the leg.

"What?" He quickly glanced at her before focussing his eyes back on the road. "I surely have the right to know who I'm driving around with late at night. Especially if the sole purpose of this trip is just for you to make a move on me..." He managed to keep a straight face although the urge to laugh was proving hard to control.

"With that attitude, the only moves will be in your dreams..."

"I sure hope not."

She ignored his flirty response although the butterflies in her stomach were a constant reminder of her true attraction. "Where are you taking us?" They had been driving for the best part of twenty minutes and so far Bianca had no idea where they were headed.

"I know a little place. We're almost there."

The sound of Bianca's laughter filled the car. "So you have done this before! And I was just starting to think I was special..." She teased.

He smiled.

"That was delicious." Charlie sat back in her chair as she placed her cutlery down on the empty plate. She grinned at Brax who, having finished his meal a few minutes earlier, had chosen to focus his eyes solely on her face. He returned her smile.

"This is turning out to be a pretty impressive 'first' date." She continued inbetween sips of her wine.

"It is?"

"Of course. Fine wine, fine food...and I can't really complain about the company."

Brax reached across the table and took her hand, holding it gently in his own. A comfortable silence fell over them as they gazed lovingly across the table at each other.

"I love you." Brax mouthed, his smile mirroring her own.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Emily appeared at the table and began to clear the empty plates. "Was everything ok with your meal?"

"Perfect." Brax's eyes were back on Charlie, who seemed oblivious that she was once again the object of his gaze.

Emily smiled brightly at them both. "I'm glad. Can I interest you in a dessert?"

Charlie, despite being stuffed from dinner, found herself tempted by the offer. She turned to face Brax to discuss the dessert options but was immediately distracted by the cheeky grin which had taken over his face.

"What do you say?" He held her stare for a moment as his eyebrow slowly started to raise. "Do you fancy dessert?" The seductive tone in his voice made a shiver run down her spine, although thankfully for them both Emily remained clueless to the change in conversation.

"Dessert is definitely on the cards." Charlie replied. She quickly ordered chocolate cake from Emily, although food was now far from both of their minds.

The windows of the car began to steam up as the couple leant forward and kissed. The kiss intensified as Heath reached over to grab her face, pulling her closer to him. She followed his lead and managed to relocate herself to straddle him without breaking the kiss. Heath's hands roamed under Bianca's vest top, slowly pulling it up. They broke the kiss long enough to remove the top and add it to the pile of clothes beside them, before their lips came crashing back together.

Bianca kissed her way down his chest as she reached under the seat and pulled the lever, forcing the driver's chair to fall back.

"Done this before?"

"For once Heath, just shut up." She whispered, her lips finding his again as her hands moved down towards his belt buckle.

Charlie shivered slightly as she waited for Brax to settle the bill. Sitting alone at the table, she glanced around at the other couples and for once she didn't feel an ounce of jealousy towards any of them. She finally had what she wanted, and now it was out there for everyone to see. Her gaze moved on and settled on Brax and Emily, who were stood just inside the doorway. There was a look of concentraion on Brax's face as he listened to Emily talk. Eventually, they both looked in Charlie's direction and smiled at each other. Charlie tried to look away quickly so they wouldn't know she was watching, although she wasn't too sure whether or not she had gotten away with it.

Brax noticed Charlie shivering slightly as he made his way back over to the table. He shrugged of his jacket and placed it across her shoulders, leaning down with it to plant a kiss on her lips.

"Are you ready to go, lovely?"

Charlie nodded as he helped her up, his arm instinctively finding it's way around her waist.

Emily caught them on their way out and gave them both a huge hug.

"Charlie, it has been a pleasure to finally meet you. You'll come again soon?"

"You too, Emily." Charlie threw a glance at Brax who simply nodded. "Yes, we'll definitely be back."

Emily gave her another hug before turning her attention back onto Brax.

"Darryl! Give my love to your mother when you see her. And don't forget your promise." The last part was whispered although Charlie picked up more than she let on.

Brax walked Charlie to her side of the car and opened the door for her. "Hey...you have a little bit of chocolate..." he lowered his face closer to hers. "Right...there." He kissed her, letting his lips linger on hers a little longer than usual.

"Oh, did I?" Charlie asked sceptically, wiping her mouth.

"No!" Brax kissed her again as he laughed and walked around to the driver's side.

"Are you sure it's ok if I stay tonight? If it's a problem, we could always spend the night at my place..."

"No, it's fine. Casey will be in bed anyway and I doubt Heath will be home. Besides, there is no way you are staying anywhere but with me tonight." He leant over and kissed her before putting the key in the ignition and pulling out of the drive way.

Bianca felt around the car in the darkness, looking for various articles of her clothing. Heath had tried many a time to re-remove the clothes but Bianca had turned him down.

"Do you mind dropping me off at home?" She asked as she finally got herself dressed.

Heath put his top back on and readjusted the driver's seat back to it's original position. "Do I have to?" He tried to keep his voice nonchalant, although he wasn't too sure if Bianca took it quite that way.

"You want me to make my own way home?" Bianca snapped at him, as she smoothed out her hair and turned to face him. "Really, Heath?"

"No...that's not what I mean't. Come back to my place."

Her anger was quickly replaced with confusion. "What?"

"What I said...spend the night with me." He made eye contact with her, and for the first time that night his self assurance was no where in sight. He was exposing a side of himself that he hadn't shown anyone before.

Bianca smirked. "Spend the night? Heath, I'm pretty sure we've just done everything we came here to do..." She laughed lightly, hoping to lift the sudden mood slightly but Heath didn't budge.

"That's not what I mean't. It would be nice to wake up with you there in the morning." The last part came out just above a whisper but Bianca caught every word.

The realisation hit her suddenly. "Oh."

An awkward silence came over the car. Embarrassed, Heath turned away from her and started the engine. "It doesn't matter, I'll take you home."

Bianca sat silently for a moment, replaying the conversation in her head. Judging by the change in his mood, she could tell that her response had upset him and the longer she didn't speak, the more damage was unknowingly being done.

"What about Brax and Casey?"

"What about them?" His eyes remained glued to the road.

"Will they not be there?"

"Brax is out on a date. He'll be gone all night. And Casey will be in bed."

She thought it over for a moment before reaching across and placing her hand on his. "Ok."

"So, are you going to tell me what your promise was?" Charlie rolled over in the bed, her head resting on her hands as she looked at him. "With Emily?" She reminded him.

"Ah...that promise. We had a little chat while I was paying the bill. She thinks you're wonderful, which I of course agreed with." He leant forward and placed a kiss on the tip of her nose. "Anyway, she made me promise that I would look after you and do whatever I could to make you happy!"

Charlie grinned at him as she edged her way closer to him. "She did?"

Brax nodded as he lunged forward, rolling Charlie onto her back and placing himself on top of her. "I already have a faint idea of how I could get started on that promise..."

He began kissing down her neck, tickling her as he went. Her laughter filled the room as she squirmed underneath him.

"Brax stop it!" She managed to roll herself from under him, repositioning them both so that she was now on top. "You know I hate to be tickled..." She warned, grabbing hold of his hands and holding them firmly above his head.

"Oh, we're playing this game now are we?" His eyes grew wider as he looked up at her, dressed simply in a matching set of black lace underwear.

"No we're not!" She gave him a final kiss before jumping up out the bed and picking up his shirt from the bottom of the bed. "I'm going to get a drink, do you want anything?"

"Really?" He stared back at her in disbelief. "You're just going to leave me here..."

"I'm only going to the kitchen, Brax!" She laughed as she headed out of his bedroom.

Bianca stood for the first time in Heath's bedroom, looking curiously around her. The bedroom was typically male; disguarded clothes and clutter filled various corners of the room. Heath followed her gaze and quickly tried to tidy the most obvious areas of the room.

"I'm sorry about the mess..." He started but she quickly cut him off.

"Honestly it's fine." She smiled awkwardly at him as she took a seat on the edge of the bed. She was suddenly aware of the swift change of direction which the night had taken. They had gone from passionately ripping each other's clothes off to being awkwardly in his room like a pair of teenagers having their first sleepover.

_Does this mean he actually likes me? _Bianca's head was filled with a million and one thoughts over this certain Braxton. She knew he was attracted to her, in a sexual kind of way, but did him wanting to fall asleep with her mean he liked her as something more? She tried not to read too much into it.

He came and sat next to her on the bed, not really knowing what to say. He wasn't too sure where his sudden change in mood had come from, he just hoped that Bianca hadn't picked up on any of it. Bianca, had of course noticed, and was starting to feel a little sorry for him.

"Hey..." She spoke softly as he turned to look at her. Without saying another word, she leant forward and kissed him, pushing him down onto the bed. He returned her embrace, feeling his sudden nerves starting to fade away.

Bianca rolled over in the bed and checked the time. 01:02. She groaned into his chest as she forced herself out of the bed, wrapping herself up in one of his shirts which was tossed on the side.

"I'm just going to the bathroom. I'll be right back." She kissed him on the cheek and hoovered for a second, her eyes connected to his. He smiled at her as she left the room and walked down the hall.

A couple of minutes later, she turned off the bathroom light and quietly closed the door behind her. She turned about to make her way back to Heath's room and gasped.

"Charlie?"

"Bianca?"

The two women stood facing each other in the hallway, both dressed just in different coloured shirts.

"What are you doing here?" They asked in unision, confusion evident on both of their faces.

* * *

><p><strong>Haha...thoughts? :) <strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thank you for reading and reviewing...next chapter will be up tomorrow :) enjoy...**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8 <strong>

"I...I...erm, I'm just..." Charlie tugged nervously at the bottom of Brax's shirt, suddenly very aware of how little clothing the two friends were wearing in front of each other. Bianca began mimicking her actions, while they both stared awkwardly at each other. "What are you doing here?"

"Me?" Bianca panicked as the heat was turned onto her. "I was, you know, I was just erm...dropping something off!" She knew how ridiculous it sounded the minute the words left her mouth, and the look on Charlie's face confirmed this.

"Dropping something off?" Charlie questioned. They both knew what was going on, but neither wanted to be the first to admit it.

"Wait, what did you say you were doing here?"

Charlie stared blankly at her, her mind racing for some sort of excuse. The longer she remained mute, the more Bianca wouldn't believe a word she eventually said. _Silence is an admittance of guilt. Say anything. _Charlie mentally scolded herself before eventually blurting something out.

"There was a noise complaint. Just checking on some enquires!" She threw Bianca a quick smile before moving past her and heading back towards Brax's bedroom. She grimaced to herself as her words played around in her head. _Are you kidding me? I'm a cop and that's the best I could do! _

Bianca stiffled a laugh as she mumbled bye over her shoulder and made a fast exit into Heath's bedroom.

Charlie closed the bedroom door with a slam and threw herself back against it. Brax was curled up in the bed, the sheets covering half his body leaving the top half exposed.

"Finally...I was beginning to think you'd done a runner on me. Although dressed like that..."

Charlie ignored him as she banged her head on the back of the door, mumbling under her breath.

Brax noticed the change in her, and sat up slightly in the bed. "Charlie? Are you ok?"

"Bianca..."

He paused. "Um...I know we haven't exactly been back together for long, but my name is Brax. This relationship would be a little different if I were Bianca..." He momentarily got lost in his own trail of thought, although Charlie remained totally unaware. "It would definitely be good different, what man wouldn't li..." He stopped as he looked up at her and realised she hadn't reacted to anything he'd just said.

"Charlie?" This time his voice was a little louder, pulling her from her daze.

She moved further into the room and took a seat beside him on the bed. "I just ran into Bianca."

"What? Where?"

She looked at him amazed. "In your hall! Where else do you think I have just been dressed like this?"

Brax tried to hide his smile. "Oh. Well, what was she doing here?"

"Well she was dressed pretty much as I am now and I'm going to take a wild guess that she wasn't here to see Casey...and she definitely wasn't here to see you...which means..."

"Heath?"

"Did you know they were seeing each other again?"

"No. He's mentioned her a couple of times, but recently I got the feeling from him that she wasn't interested."

"I can't believe she didn't tell me about it."

Moving forward on the bed, he reached out for her and pulled her onto his lap. "Why are we still talking about my brother and your best friend? I can think of many more interesting things we could be doing..." He winked at her as he started to undo the buttons on his shirt that she was wearing, letting it fall behind her onto the bed.

Bianca closed Heath's bedroom door quietly and crept back into the room. "God, that was just awkward!"

Heath rolled over in the bed and opened one eye to look at her. "What?" He mumbled.

"Charlie is here. It looks like her and Brax are back together."

"He's back with Buckton? I wonder how he's managed that one!"

"I can't believe she didn't tell me."

He lifted up the covers, gesturing for her to get back into the bed. She complied and curled in beside him. He wrapped the cover back around her, leaving his arm resting lightly across her stomach.

"I can't believe she caught me here..."

Heath paused before answering her. "Is that such a bad thing?"

Now it was her turn to pause. To the outside world it may have been a bad thing, but being alone in the room with Heath, the outside world didn't seem to matter. She glanced down at their entwined bodies and couldn't help but notice how safe she suddenly felt. Sensing Heath's gaze on her face, she turned to face him as she moved closer into him.

"No."

He matched her smile as he nestled into her and closed his eyes.

Bianca couldn't help but groan as she reached for her phone to turn off the alarm. 6:00. It was a time she didn't wish to see after just four hours sleep but there was something about waking up in Heath's room, in Heath's arms, which suddenly made everything seem not so bad.

She moved quietly out of his embrace as to not wake him. She dressed quickly before heading out to the bathroom, this time thankfully not running into anyone in the hall. By the time she was back in the bedroom, Heath was up and getting dressed.

"Morning." He threw her a smile as he fished a clean tank top from the drawer and finished getting ready.

"Hey. What are you doing up? It's only just gone six..." She moved around the room, collecting her things and placing them in her bag.

Heath shrugged.

Bianca checked her watch. "I best get going, I need to get changed before school."

She stood awkwardly in the middle of the room for a moment, not really knowing what she should do next.

"Just give me a second and I'll walk you to work." He offered as he walked towards the bedroom door.

Bianca spun around to look at him. "What?"

He paused in the doorway and smiled at her. "It's the least I can do..."

Bianca waited in the room for him, trying to ignore the butterflies which had suddenly appeared in her stomach. Was this really the same Heath Braxton? Was Heath Braxton really the kind of guy who gets up at the crack of dawn to walk someone to work? Was he really not the tough guy that he makes out to be. Before she could answer any of her questions, he was back in the room and asking her if she was ready to go.

They made a quick stop at Irene's on the way so that Bianca could change and grab some things for work. They had made polite conversation on the way to Irene's, but Bianca was just thankful that the walk hadn't been in silence.

Heath hovered in the doorway as Bianca walked inside. Sensing he wasn't behind her, she turned to face him.

"You can come in, you know?" She kept her voice low, so she didn't wake Irene or April.

Heath nodded slightly and followed her into the house. He stood in the kitchen, leaning back against the counter with his arms folded across his chest. She was gone a few minutes, before returning to him in a change of outfit and fresh make up.

He couldn't help but smile at her. "You look beautiful."

She turned away from him so he wouldn't see her blush as she picked up a selection of books and joined him in the kitchen.

"You ready?" She smiled as she walked past him and out of the door. He followed, closing the door behind him.

They walked side by side for most of the way, the conversation staying light and slightly flirty. As they got nearer to the school, the number of pupils surrounding them began to increase. Not that many of them would know who Heath was, Bianca was suddenly very aware of who it was she was walking to school with, and who could possibly see them together.

"You know, you didn't really have to do this." She started. "I can probably make it the rest of the way..." She tried to joke, hoping that he wouldn't take offence.

Heath was silent for a moment as he looked at her, before it eventually clicked. "You're scared the rock star is going to see us together?" He guessed, knowing that he was right without her having to confirm anything.

She reached out and touched his arm. "I just don't want to cause any trouble. I don't want to rub his face in anything..."

"Bianca, you're not with Liam anymore. Who you choose to walk down the street with is really none of his business."

"I know. But you saw what he was like on the beach. He sees you walking me to work, it's only going to start him off again."

"Ok."

"So...you're not mad?"

He smiled. "I'll live."

"Ok...so...erm...maybe I'll see you later?" He nodded at her as he took a step towards her. She quickly glanced around to check the coast was clear before leaning forward and placing a small kiss on his lips. She started to walk away from him but he quickly caught up with her and pulled her in for another kiss, this time a lot deeper and more passionate than the last. She was suddenly unaware of their surroundings as she allowed herself to fall further into the kiss.

Finally, they pulled apart and Bianca playfully slapped him on the arm and laughed.

"I'm going to be late! I have to go...I'll see you later." She gave him a final kiss before walking towards the school.

He stood and watched her go,unaware that a few metres behind him, Liam had arrived and witnessed their exchange.

"I don't have to be in work until this afternoon. Maybe we could have lunch at the Diner?" Charlie asked. They had been awake for just over an hour, although they had yet to leave the bed. Charlie lay with her back against Brax's chest; his arms wrapped protectively around her. He had his face nestled into her neck, holding her closer to him.

"Do you have to go to work? Can't you just call in sick? We could spend the whole day repeating last night's performance.." Brax finished the conversation with a couple of kisses along her neck line.

Charlie moaned slightly. The idea of spending the day in bed with Brax was far more tempting than the reality. "I really wish I could, but I can't. There's a new case I need to start making tracks with. It looks like I'm gonna be stuck in questioning for most of the afternoon!" Charlie sighed. "So lunch?"

"Ok. But it's your treat...seeing as you are leaving me on my own for the afternoon." Charlie turned her head slightly to see Brax pouting at her. She laughed as she rolled over, forcing Brax onto his back.

"Well we have a little while before lunch. I can make it up to you." She grinned at him as she leant down and kissed him.

They made a quick stop at Charlie's on the way to the Diner so that Charlie could change for work. Brax settled on her bed and watched her every movement as she got undressed.

"Are you sure I can't convince you to stay with me?" His eyes ran up and down her body as she stood in front of him wearing a matching set of black underwear.

"You could always meet me after work?" She gazed at him until he raised his eyes and made eye contact with her. His eyes sparkled as he looked at her.

"Try and stop me."

She smiled at his response. She bent down and kissed him before continuing to put her police uniform on.

They walked to the Diner with Brax's arm around her shoulders, and Charlie's arm wrapped around his waist. They held onto each other tightly, wanting to be as close to each other as was publicly possible.

"I think I can safely say that last night was the best date I've ever been on." Brax confessed, ending with a kiss on the top of her head.

"Really?"

"Of course, you were there." This brought a smile to her face.

They soon reached the Diner and paused outside.

"You do realise that the minute we go in there, Colleen will be in hysterics?" Brax asked, laughing although deep down he knew that they were about to reach a critical point in the outing of their new relationship.

"I'm not embarrassed to be seen with you. What Colleen thinks is of no importance."

Charlie offered him an encouraging smile as she reached out and took his hand, linking their fingers together. He returned her smile as he followed her inside the Diner.

Considering it was lunch time, they managed to find a table pretty easily. Charlie sat beside Brax, her hand resting lightly on his lap, while he kept his arm looped around the back of her chair. They stared down at the menu, both aware of the eyes that were now on them.

"Is she watching us?" Brax asked, his eyes fixed on the menu.

Charlie cleared her throat as she glanced around the Diner, her eyes finally settling on the counter. Behind it, stood Colleen who was staring in their direction and Leah who was busy serving coffee to a customer. Charlie made eye contact with Colleen and smiled, which seemed to irritate Colleen even further.

Glancing back down at the menu, Charlie couldn't help but laugh. "The eagle has spotted us." Brax smirked as he moved his arm off the chair and wrapped it around her shoulders, pulling her into him and placing a kiss on the side of her head. Colleen's gasp seemed to echo above the noise of the busy Diner.

"It's an absolute disgrace if you ask me!" Colleen started, her eyes focussed on the new arrivals.

"Well it's a good job I didn't ask you, isn't it?" Leah's response was short to say the least.

"I can't believe they have the cheek to sit there in front of everyone. Bringing scandal to the Bay like this; they should be ashamed!" Colleen scolded. "I mean, look at him. He is all over her!"

Leah groaned as she looked over in the direction of Charlie and Brax. "What? He has his arm around her Colleen. Get a grip, and go and take their order." She threw Colleen a glare before leaving and going into the kitchen.

Colleen frowned as she picked up an order pad and made her way over to the table. The couple were involved in laughing and joking with each other but the laughter quickly subsided as she reached the table.

"Good afternoon, Colleen." Brax greeted her with a smile.

Colleen grunted at him.

"Colleen, how are you?" Charlie asked. Her grip on Brax's leg tightened under the table as Colleen's glared back at them. Brax had to stiffle a laugh.

"Fine. Your order?"

Charlie rolled her eyes at Brax and smiled. "We will just have two BLTs please Colleen, and two coffees."

Colleen paused as she scrutinised the couple with her eyes before moving back towards the kitchen.

"Well that went...well!" Brax said as Charlie released her laughter.

Charlie was sat at her desk, working her way through a stack of paperwork. She had reread the same page at least five times, each time she reached the bottom she realised she had no idea what she had just read. Her mind hadn't left Brax since he had dropped her off at work.

A knock on her door disturbed her thoughts.

"Excuse me Sarg, a man just delivered these to the front desk. They are addressed to you."

Charlie looked up to see an officer stood in the doorway holding a huge bunch of red roses, which were tied with a red ribbon.

"Oh, wow." She smiled as he placed them on her desk and left the room. She picked up the card from the middle of flowers and opened the envelope.

**6 hours until I get to see you. **

**I love you. **

**B x**

Her smile grew as she reread the note, although this time the message had gone in first time.

Her thoughts were again disturbed by a quick knock on the door. The same officer appeared in the doorway.

"Sorry to disturb you again, but Michael Taylor's lawyer has just arrived. They're waiting for you in the interview room. Do you want to start now?"

"Sure. I'll be out in a second."

He nodded and left the room for a second time, leaving Charlie to gather the case notes. Before leaving the room, she took her phone out of her pocket and opened up a new text message.

**Thank you for the flowers. They are beautiful. **

**5 hours, 58 minutes to go... **

**I love you x **

She smiled to herslef as she put the phone on silent and placed it back in her pocket. Heading out the room,she crossed the lobby and entered the interview room.

She closed the door behind her and turned around. Her stomach dropped.

* * *

><p><strong>Got to love a cliffhanger...right? :p <strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 **

"Sergeant Buckton, how nice of you to join us." A sarcastic voice filled the room, as the woman sitting behind the table looked up and smirked in Charlie's direction. On the opposite side of the table, Watson turned her head to glance at Charlie, although Charlie's eyes were fixed on the other woman.

"What are you doing here? You're name isn't mentioned as being Mr Taylor's lawyer?" She tried to remain professional but the knots in her stomach made that difficult. She glanced down at the notes in her hand to check what she already knew. "A Mr Gillespie is mean't to be here?"

Charlie looked to Watson for an explanation, but before Watson could answer the laywer had spoken up again.

"I heard about this case and I just had to help." She exchanged smiles with the man sat beside her. Michael Taylor was in his late twenties and was a well known gang leader. He sat with his arms folded across his chest, a self assured smile planted firmly on his face. Charlie knew there was something dodgy about him, and his recent choice in lawyer confirmed her suspicions.

"Personally, I think it's disgusting how my client has been harrassed by all of you. I'm going to make sure that you pay for screwing people over." The lawyer continued, aiming her last comment directly at Charlie.

Charlie was thankful that no one in the room could hear the pounding in her chest as she returned the woman's cold stare. Watson watched the exchange between the two women and cleared her throat, breaking the awkward silence that had filled the room.

"Shall we get started?"

* * *

><p>Bianca stretched in her chair as she stared out towards the empty classroom. She was greatful for the free period, as for most of the morning her mind had been far from the classes she should have been teaching. Her thoughts continued to drift to the previous night's activities which inevitably brought a smile to her face.<p>

She sighed as she forced herself to focus on the stack of exercise books which were piled up on her desk. She had forty minutes before her next class was due and she knew that at the rate she was working at today, she would never be done in time.

Her phone beeped in her bag. Seeing it as yet another distraction, she threw down her pen and opened up the new text message.

**Heath **

**How is your day going?**

Her smile grew. He had been on her mind all day, and clearly she had been on his.

**Good but I'm a little distracted today. You? **

She waited only a matter of seconds before the phone beeped again, alerting her to his reply.

**Heath **

**Something, or someone, on your mind? **

Bianca couldn't help but laugh at his forwardness. She could imagine him sitting there with a cocky smile on his face, waiting for her reply. She was undecided whether or not she should play it cool or just give him the answer she knew he was waiting for.

Her thumbs were hovering over the keypad as her mind raced over how to reply. A knock on the classroom door caused her to look up and smile.

_Oh my God...is he here?_

Her mind was now in overdrive as she placed down the phone and stood up, straightening out her outfit. Ruffling up her hair, she walked over to the door and opened it, the smile already on her face.

It faded quickly.

"Liam?" The excitement she felt only seconds ago was now long forgotten.

"Can we talk?" He asked, gesturing into the classroom.

Bianca hesitated for a moment before moving aside and allowing him to enter the room. Once the door was closed behind them, she walked over to her desk and closed the text message. She had a feeling the object of her texts was suddenly about to become the object of this conversation.

Leaning against the front of her desk, she looked over to Liam who had taken a seat at one of the tables.

"So, what can I do for you?"

She smiled lightly at him. Despite all that they had been through, a part of her still and possibly always would care for Liam. She knew that it was probably not in the way that he wanted, but the feelings were still there.

"I saw you and your boyfriend together this morning..." He tried his hardest to keep calm. He knew that getting angry at her would just push her further away.

Bianca sighed. "He is not my boyfriend, Liam. And like I've told you before, it's really none of your business."

"But you're sleeping with him?"

"Again...none of your business." Her voice raised slightly which didn't go unnoticed by Liam. "If that is all you came here for, then you can leave now. I'm busy."

Liam stood up and took a couple of steps towards her. He had rehearsed the conversation for most of the morning but it wasn't quite going the way he had planned.

"He is no good for you, Bianca. He is a drug dealer. Do you not get that? You could do so much better!"

"And you are a drug user, Liam. So don't dare try and tell me who is and who isn't good enough for me. That's no longer your right." Bianca pushed herself up off the desk and made her way over to the classroom door. "Now, if you don't mind," she continued. "I have work to do..."

Liam paused for a second before reluctantly heading out of the room. He stopped in the doorway and turned to face her, determined to give it another go.

"Please, Bianca. Just promise me you'll keep your distance from him."

Bianca refused to make eye contact with him. She was far too annoyed and confused.

"Just go." Her voice was cold and abrupt, but she knew there was no other way.

Liam sighed before walking away, leaving Bianca in the classroom alone with her thoughts. Groaning, she threw herself back down on the chair and placed her head in her hands. Was she kidding herself about Heath? Could he really be the person she thinks he is? Or was he simply what everyone was saying; just another dangerous River Boy.

Shaking the thoughts out of her head, she reached for her phone and turned it off, placing it back in her bag.

* * *

><p>Brax stood behind the counter at Angelos, staring out at the packed dining room. It was supposed to be his day off but he figured that if he went in for a couple of hours it would be less time for him to sit around thinking of Charlie. Plus, if he kept himself busy it would soon be time for him to pick her up from work.<p>

His plan, however, was full of flaws.

"Table nine have sent this back." The waiter slammed the plate down on the counter in front of Brax and stared at his boss.

"What's the matter with it?"

"It's not what they ordered." The waiter was clearly annoyed as he picked up the dish and headed back to the kitchen. It was the third one in a matter of hours that had been returned.

Despite how hard he tried, his mind was just not on the job; not unless his job suddenly involved Charlie Buckton. Laughing quietly to himself at the person he'd now become, he gathered his things and said goodbye to the staff who all tried to hide their relief at his departure.

He was heading to the door when he was greeted by Heath.

"Bro, buy me a beer!" Heath grunted as he moved past Brax and slumped into one of the booths. Brax paused before checking his watch. He still had a two hours before he was due to pick Charlie up. Spinning round, he gestured to the bar staff before taking a seat beside his younger brother.

"What's up with your face?" Brax asked as Heath checked the screen on his phone before tossing it down on the table.

"Women."

Brax couldn't help but laugh. He himself was in the same predicament, although in Brax's case his issue was more of a distraction, not a problem.

"Bianca giving you grief?"

A waitress brought two beers over to the table. Brax thanked her while Heath remained silent. He checked his phone once again. Nothing.

"I just don't understand them. One minute they're into you, the next...nothing."

Brax stared at his brother in disbelief. He'd never seen Heath Braxton bothered over a girl before; Heath was usually the one who broke hearts all over the place. Not the other way around.

"She's giving you the cold shoulder?" Brax guessed.

Heath took a long gulp of his beer and gazed down at the bottle. "So, Buckton eh?" He wasn't too subtle at the topic change but Brax didn't mind that his mind was suddenly back on Charlie.

Brax couldn't help the smile that had formed on his lips. He checked his watch again; less than two hours to go now.

"Yeah. I have her back, and I plan to keep it that way." Brax sipped at his beer, willing for the time to pass quickly.

Heath noticed the change in his brother; a change which always happened when a certain police Sergeant was mentioned.

"If you ask me mate, they are all more trouble than they're worth..." Heath finished his beer with another two gulps and set the empty bottle down on the table. He got the attention of the waitress and ordered another round. He checked his phone once more and sighed.

"What's that saying? A watched pot..." Brax started, hoping to bring a smile on Heath's face but gained no reaction.

They sat in silence for a moment, both lost in their own thoughts. Never in a million years would either of them have pictured themselves obsessing over a woman.

* * *

><p>Charlie tried her best to retain her composure. They had been in the interview room for just under an hour; time which Charlie would never like to repeat. They were getting no where. It hadn't been one of the easiest interviews she had ever conducted, especially when the defendent's lawyer is hellbent on getting any dig that she can.<p>

"We have witnesses that place you at the scene of the crime, Michael." Watson informed them. Charlie had to hand it to her. She had definitely stepped up and tried to take some of the heat off Charlie, even though she had no idea what subtext was really going on.

"The evidence you have against my client is, at best, circumstantial." Hayley stated. The smirk hadn't left her face.

"There is nothing circumstantial about it. We know you were there, we know it was your gun which was used to injure the victim. Just come clean..." Charlie ignored the glares she was getting across the table as she stared back at the man sitting opposite her.

Hayley started laughing, causing them all to look at her.

"Sergeant Buckton, I think it's you who needs to come clean."

Charlie frowned at her in confusion. "What?"

"Well, we all know that Michael is a member of a gang; a gang which is currently in conflict with another gang. A gang, which I'm pretty sure, has strong connections to the family of your boyfriend. You're unfairly targetting my client in order to even the playing field for your boyfriend, Sergeant Buckton." Michael joined in with the laughter as Hayley taunted Charlie over the table.

Charlie stared back at her, resisting the urge to jump over the table and hit her. Violence had never been the answer for her problems but there was something about Hayley which got her at the core.

"That's a very interesting story you've written for yourself. Maybe you should consider a change of career..." Charlie retorted, feeling her face burn with anger.

Watson stepped in. "Let's stick to the facts shall we. Mr Taylor, we have..."

"So, are you denying that you are sleeping with a well known criminal and gang leader?" Hayley interrupted Watson, her eyes never leaving Charlie's.

Reaching breaking point, Charlie pushed back her chair and stormed out of the room, letting the door slam shut behind her. Hayley watched her go and smiled.

"Was it something I said?"

* * *

><p>Bianca finally left the gym feeling more frustrated than she did when she started. Her mind had been racing ever since her conversation with Liam that afternoon. She knew he had no right in telling her who she should and shouldn't spend time with, but once the seed of doubt had been planted it was difficult for her to stop it from growing. She knew she liked Heath, and she knew that he liked her. But was she just fooling herself?<p>

She had yet to reply to his text from this afternoon. A couple of hours later he had sent her a different one but that too went unanswered. She wasn't all too sure why she was ignoring him, but at the minute she no longer knew what she should say.

Walking out into the surf club with her bag in one hand and a bottle of water in the other, she stopped in her tracks as she spotted Heath walking down the stairs of Angelo's holding hands with a scantily clad brunette. He didn't seem to notice her as he laughed and joked with the woman and made his way towards the door.

Bianca froze, watching as they left the building. Her vision clouded over as tears filled her eyes.

* * *

><p>Charlie's eyes kept flicking to the clock, waiting for the minutes to roll over. After the interview was suspended, she had taken refuge in her office using the excuse of paperwork. Her collegues had taken note and no one had bothered her.<p>

She wasn't too sure if Hayley was still in the building or if she had left. Either way she didn't really care. She thought this case was going to be fairly straight forward but that idea was now far from a reality.

Her phone buzzed on the table.

**Brax**

**I'm outside whenever you are ready gorgeous. **

**Can't wait to see you... x **

She had failed to tell him about her afternoon run in, figuring that she would just wait until she saw him. Now seemed like the right opportunity. Ignoring the last fifteen minutes of her shift, she grabbed her bag and coat and made her way out of the station.

Brax was leaning against the bonnet of his car waiting for her to come out. He had spent the afternoon listening to Heath go on and on about how bad women were; all Brax now wanted was an evening in the arms of the woman he loved to prove his brother's theory wrong. He beamed as Charlie walked out of the station, but noticed immediately the down beaten look on her face.

"Hey lovely. What's the matt..."

Before finishing his sentence, he caught sight of Hayley walking out behind Charlie. She had a huge sly smile on her face.

Brax's hands rested on Charlie's sides as she looked up at him.

"What is she doing here?"

"Darryl! How lovely to see you again..." Hayley winked at him as she walked past, throwing a glare in Charlie's direction as she passed.

"Please, just take me home." Charlie begged as she walked past him and into the car.

"I don't understand why she would still be in the Bay?" Brax started once they were in Charlie's room. The drive home had been fairly quiet.

Charlie ignored him as she moved around the room and changed into a pair of sweats and a vest top. He couldn't help but think she looked beautiful, although now wasn't really the time for those kind of thoughts.

"She's going to do whatever she can to make this really difficult for me, Brax. You should have heared her accusing me of questioning her client just to help out with the gang war." Charlie rubbed at her forehead, before pushing her hair off her face and tying it back in a loose pony tail. She started pacing in front of him but he quickly reached for her arm and pulled her down on his lap.

"Hey...you are far smarter than her, Charlie. Don't let her get to you, ok? At the end of the day, you are just doing your job, there's nothing corrupt about it. We both know that, so don't let what she says get to you." He wrapped his arms tighter around her middle, resting his head into her chest. She kissed the top of his head as she responded to the hug.

"I know. It's just...you know what the worst part of that interview was?" He moved back from the hug so he could look at her as she spoke. "It wasn't what she was saying that hurt me. I was looking at her and all I could see was the two of you together." She couldn't help her eyes filling up. The feeling had eaten away at her all day and now that she was finally getting it out, she was overcome with a variety of emotions. "It kills me, Brax. It kills me that you looked at her the way you look at me..." She trailed off as the tears started to descend down her cheeks.

Brax caught each of the tears with his thumbs, his hands moving to settle on either side of her face. He forced her to look at him before he spoke.

"Charlie...I could never look at anyone, the way I look at you." The sincerity was evident in his voice.

Her eyes focussed on his as the anxiety in her stomach was now replaced with butterflies. Slowly she smiled and let him pull her in to a passionate kiss.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey! **

**Sorry for the delay...hope this is worth the wait! **

**Thank you for all the reviews and for taking your time to read! Appreciate it like you wouldn't understand! Anyways, enjoy :)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 10<strong>

Brax strolled into the kitchen, rubbing at his eyes. After seeing Charlie the night before, they had decided on spending the night apart as Charlie had an early shift this morning. Brax had agreed, although now after a night of tossing and turning he realised that spending a night apart from her wasn't the best idea. Filling the kettle, he leant against the counter while he waited for it to boil.

He took out his phone and started to type out a message to the woman who was constantly on his mind.

**I missed you last night, can't sleep without you... x **

He pressed send, knowing how clingy he was acting but also knowing that Charlie would appreciate the sentiment.

He spun around as the kettle clicked and began making his coffee.

"Morning." A strange voice filled the kitchen behind him. Turning his head quickly, he came face to face with a tall brunette woman, who was smiling brightly at him.

"Er...who are..."

"Morning!" Heath followed the woman into the kitchen and headed straight to the fridge. He buried his head in it as Brax stared between the two of them.

"Oh!"

The mystery woman paused in the doorway of the kitchen for a second before collecting her things. "I should probably get going..."

Heath shut the fridge and followed her to the front door. He returned a few seconds later as though nothing had happened.

"Are you working today?" He asked Brax, taking a seat at the kitchen table and flipping open the paper.

Brax took a seat opposite him. Leaning across the table, he shut the newspaper, forcing Heath to look at him. "Am I working today? That's all you have to say?"

Heath shrugged. "What?"

"What are you doing?" He gestured towards the front door. "What the hell happened to Bianca?"

"Nothing." Heath dismissed the question as he glanced down at the table.

"Don't do this Heath. She's one of the good ones..."

"Whatever. Let's go for a surf!" Heath stood up, not wanting to face up the reality of what he was getting in to.

"I can't. There's something I have to do..."

Brax threw a cautious look to his brother as he grabbed his keys and headed for the door.

* * *

><p>Bianca sat nursing a coffee as she waited for Charlie in the Diner. They had agreed that they would meet up for lunch, mainly for the purpose of discussing the latest love life developments, but also to distract Bianca from her love life disaster. She didn't have to wait long as Charlie soon came strolling in, dressed in her police uniform. She greeted Colleen on her way in, who panicked and hid in the back. Charlie couldn't help but supress her laughter as she made her way over to her friend.<p>

"I'm sorry I'm a little late. I was stuck behind a mountain of paperwork!" She apologised as she hugged Bianca and took a seat next to her.

Leah rushed over to the table and took their order. They decided on another round of coffee and two fudge cakes.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me!" Bianca started,getting straight to the point. Charlie blushed.

"You can talk...Heath?"

Bianca groaned and took a sip of her coffee. "Brax?"

Charlie shrugged as a smile took over her face. "He is perfect." She was fully aware that she was swooning but she no longer cared. She had the man she loved and she wanted the world to know. "Everything has just been amazing..."

Leah brought their order over, before rushing back over to the kitchen.

"Well everything except Hayley." Charlie picked at her cake as she continued. "She seems pretty hellbent on doing whatever she can to break us up again."

"Well you need to make sure she knows that he is off limits. Don't let her get to you." Bianca gave Charlie's arm a comforting squeeze before tucking into her own cake.

"So...enough about me. Give me the dirty details..." Charlie teased, her left eyebrow arched. Bianca's face failed to return a smile.

Bianca shrugged, a blank look on her face. "There's nothing to tell."

"What? How can there be nothing to tell?"

"I was just another notch on his bedpost...he's already moved on to his next conquest." Saying the words out loud brought a whole new feeling of emotion to Bianca. She had tried to deny it but now it was out there she would have to face it.

Charlie placed down her fork and leaned forward towards her friend. She gave her a concerned look.

"What do you mean he's moved on? That was pretty fast..."

"It was my fault." She paused. "You know what, no it wasn't. It was Liam's fault." _Although technically my fault for listening to him..._

Charlie was growing confused. "Liam? What does he have to do with anything?"

"Liam saw me and Heath together. He came to see me yesterday and I guess he just made me see things a little...differently...so I started to ignore Heath..."

Charlie didn't like what she was hearing although she identified with it. "Look Bianca, whatever Liam has said to you...it is not his place. It should be him you are ignoring. If you like Heath, which for the record we all know you do, and you think you see something good in him, then you don't give that up for anybody." Now it was Charlie's turn to offer the comforting gestures.

"It's obvious he likes you." She continued which brought a small smile to Bianca's face. "Yeah, ignoring him probably wasn't the best option, but..." She trailed off as Heath walked into the Diner. He paused for a moment as he saw them, his eyes making contact with Bianca's. Charlie looked nervously at her friend who looked down at the table. Looking back at Heath, Charlie watched as he hovered in the doorway before sighing and storming out.

Bianca, feeling frustrated, threw her head in her hands as she let out a loud groan.

* * *

><p>Brax walked along the small corridor, watching as the numbers on the doors descended. His strides were evenly placed as he tried to keep himself calm. The conversation had been played over in his mind on the drive over, but he knew that if he didn't control himself this could play out differently to how he had planned.<p>

He eventually reached number nine and pounded his fist on the door. It was a matter of seconds before the door was opened and Hayley stood in front of him with a surprised expression on her face. It lasted a second before she started smiling at him.

"Darryl! What a lovely surprise." She was dressed simply in a black dressing gown which was tied at her waist. She leant against the doorway as she gazed at him, her hand moving up to loosen her gown slightly.

"We need to talk." He replied bluntly.

"Yes we do. Finally decided that the cop wasn't enough of a woman for you, have you?" She took a step towards him, reaching her hands out to touch his chest.

He knocked her hands down and glared at her. "Get inside."

She smirked as he pushed past her into the hotel room. "I do love a man who gets straight to the point..."

Brax ignored her comment as he took a deep breath, trying to calm his anger. "I've come to tell you to stop whatever game it is you think you are playing. Messing with Charlie...trying to hurt her. It stops now." He warned her, but the smile never left her face.

"Darryl...I think you'll find I've only just begun." She laughed to herself but the laughter quickly faded as he took a step towards her, pushing her back against the wall. His hands remained tightly on her arms.

"You're taking this whole woman scorned role a little too far. You do anything which so much as makes Charlie uncomfortable, I won't be responsible for what happens..." He threatened, pausing in front of her for a second before letting her go and storming out of the room. The door slammed shut after him.

* * *

><p>After her lunch gossiping with Bianca, Charlie reluctantly returned to the station to finish the rest of her shift. She checked her phone before going in and sighed as she had no other messages from Brax. She knew she was probably overthinking it but she had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that something was going on. Dismissing the thoughts, she entered the station and collected her messages at the front desk.<p>

She read over the post-it notes as the interview door opened and out walked Hayley, followed closely by her client and a police constable. Hayley grinned as she said goodbye to her client and watched as he was led away by the officer. Charlie avoided meeting her gaze as she collected some paperwork from the front desk and made her way to her office.

She only managed a couple of seconds of refuge in her office before the door was opened and Hayley invited herself into the room.

"We should really stop meeting like this, Sergeant." Her voice dripped with sarcasm. Charlie looked up from her desk and glared back at her.

"Have you not heard of knocking?"

"I just wanted you to pass on a message for me. I forgot to tell Darryl how much of a nice time I had this morning. Please, make sure he knows that if he ever needs anything again..." She trailed off, winking slightly at Charlie. "He knows exactly where my hotel room is."

Charlie felt her stomach drop as a burning sensation nestled in the back of her throat. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to throw up or punch something, but either way the feeling was far from welcome.

"What...did you say?" She barely managed how to speak. She could see that Hayley was enjoying every minute of her pain.

"I've outstayed my welcome. See you around the station, Buckton." Hayley quickly made her exit, leaving Charlie to wallow in what she had just said.

* * *

><p>Charlie paced the living room, her mind somewhat of a mess. She had managed to cover the end of her shift but was still waiting for Brax to arrive. He had mentioned something about trying to find someone to cover for him on the phone, although he still had no idea what it was he was walking in to.<p>

Going over the conversation in her mind, Charlie tried to make sense of it. But the more she tried the more anger she felt. She had hardly spoken to him all day so she had no idea what was going on or where he had been. The majority of her hoped that what she truely felt was real; Brax would never be anywhere near a hotel room with that woman. He knew how he felt about the Hayley situtation; would he really do that to her all over again?

She didn't have long to dwell on her thoughts as a knock on the back door soon alerted her to his arrival.

He smiled at her as she opened the door although her face remained straight.

Ignoring it, he moved towards her. "I'm glad you called. I've been thinking about you all day." He reached out to take her in his arms but she stepped aside and gestured into the house.

"We need to talk..."

The smile dropped off his face as he stepped into the house and waited for her to join him in the living room. He took a seat on the arm of the couch and looked at her.

"You're starting to scare me now. What's the matter?"

"I want the truth Brax. Did you sleep with her?" She stood in front of him with her hands on her hips, her eyes starting to glaze over as she waited for his answer.

"Sleep with who?" He stared back clueless at her.

"Hayley. Did you sleep with her this morning?" She emphasised every word so that he would understand what she was saying.

"No!" He laughed as he answered, although after seeing the look on her face his laughter quickly faded. "Where has this come from?"

"She said you visited her in her hotel room this morning. Did you?"

Brax paused for a moment as he stared down at his hands. He twisted the ring around his finger as he tried to figure out how to tell her the truth. "Yes I went to see her. But it is not what you think..."

She walked away from him, her arms waving about in front of her before resting on her head. "I can't believe we are back here again! You promised me, you promised that there would be no more of this. Yet here we are. Again!" She yelled at him as the tears started running down her face.

He moved from the couch and turned her to face him. "Don't make this into something which it isn't, Charlie. I went to see her to warn her to stay away from you. Nothing else happened." He tried to wipe away the tears on her cheeks but she pushed him away.

"This is too hard, Brax. Just when I think that everything is going ok...we end up back here." She couldn't look him in the eyes as she spoke. Her stomach flipped as she said the words but she knew that had to be said.

"Charlie...I did this for you. I didn't want her to keep hurting you the way she has. Please don't punish me for doing what I can to stop you being hurt..." He pleaded with her but she continued to back away from him.

"I can't do this now, Brax. I have to get back to work." She wiped at her eyes as she backed away towards the door.

"What? You're shift finished like ten minutes ago?" He questioned, knowing instantly that she was lying to him.

"Fine!" She screamed. "I have to get away from you!" She turned and fled the house, crashing into Ruby in the doorway.

"Woah!" Ruby was taken aback as Charlie continued past her. Brax appeared in the living room doorway, a beaten look on his face. "Is everything ok?" She looked at him, concern all over her face.


End file.
